BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE, PILANI
WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAMMES
COURSE HANDOUT-REGULAR
Part A: Content Design
Course Title Data Visualization and Interpretation
Course No(s) ZG555
Credit Units 5
Course Author [Link]
Version No 1.0
Date
Course Description
The Context of Data Visualization, the importance of context, choosing an effective visual, clutter is your
enemy, focus your audience’s attention, think like a designer, dissecting model visuals, lessons in
storytelling, taxonomy of Data Visualization Methods, Clarifying the Vision, Variations in Dashboard Uses
and Data, Common Mistakes in Dashboard Design, Tapping into the Power of Visual Perception, Applying
the Principles of Visual Perception to Dashboard Design, Characteristics of a Well‐Designed Dashboard,
Effective Dashboard Display Media, Designing Dashboards for Usability. Explore Tableau, Python
Libraries-Matplotlib, Seaborn, Bokeh.
Course Objectives
No Description
CO1 To introduce key techniques and theory used in visualization, including data models, graphical
perception and techniques for visual encoding and interaction.
CO2 Best Practices of Dashboard Design, Designing dashboards meeting the design principles for
various requirements.
CO3 Solving various visualization problems using tools like Tableau and Python
Learning Outcomes: At the end of the course ,students must be able to
Experiment with a basic dataset and highlight how to get started to create a simple
viz.
Design effective data visualizations in order to provide new insights into a research
question.
Interpret visualizations and communicate effectively in a professional environment
through technical reports and presentations.
Apply best practices in effective dashboard design, optimizing for usability and
accessibility across various devices and screen sizes, while ensuring consistency with
brand guidelines and design standards.
Demonstrate through group assignments, the utilization of industry-standard tools
such as Tableau, python libraries, to create visually appealing and interactive
dashboards
Text Book(s)
T1 Data Visualisation : A Successful Design Process By Andy Kirk
T2 Storytelling with Data, A data visualization guide for business professionals, by Cole
Nussbaumer Knaflic; Wiley
T3 Information Dashboard Design: Displaying data for at-a-glance monitoring, Stephen Few,
second edition
Reference Book
R1 Matplotlib for Python Developers: Effective techniques for data visualization with Python, by
Aldrin Yim, Claire Chung and Allen Yu
Part B: Content Development Plan
Academic Term Second Semester 2019-20
Course Title Data Visualization and Interpretation
Course No DSECL ZG555
Credit 5
Content Developer [Link]
Glossary of Terms
Module M Module is a standalone quantum of designed content. A typical
course is delivered using a string of modules. M2 means module
2.
Contact Session CS Contact Session (CS) stands for a 2 hour long live session with
students conducted either in a physical classroom or enabled
through technology. In this model of instruction, instructor led
sessions will be for 16 CS.
Lab Exercises LE Lab exercises associated with various modules
Modular Structure
No. Title of the Module
M1 Data Visualizations and Practices
M2 Data Visualization with Tableau
M3 Effective Dashboard Design
M4 Data Visualization with Python – 1 (Matplotlib)
M5 Data Visualization with Python – 2 (Seaborn,Bokeh)
Detailed Structure
M1: Data Visualizations and Practices
Contact Session 1-5
Type Description/Plan Reference Text
Book/Chapters
CS1 Introduction T1 Ch 1
Exploiting the Digital age T2 Ch 1
Visualisation as a Discovery tool
Visualisation skills for the masses
The Visualisation methodology
Visualisation design objectives
Exploratory vs. explanatory analysis
Understanding the context for data presentations
CS2 Choosing an effective Visual T2 Ch 2
Cluttering T2 Ch 3
Pre-attentive Attributes T2 Ch 4
Design concepts T2 Ch 5
Dissecting model visuals T2 Ch 6
CS3 Lessons in Storytelling T2 Ch 7
Taxonomy of Data Visualisation Methods T1 Ch 5
Comparing Categories of Plots
Dot Plot
Bar Chart
Floating Bar
CS4 Taxonomy of Data Visualisation Methods T1 Ch 5
Comparing Categories of Plots
Histogram
Radial Chart
Glyph Chart
Assessing hierarchies and part-to-whole relationships
Showing changes over time
Plotting connections and relationships
Mapping geo-spatial data
CS5 [This session can be planned so as to give an overview of latest Documentations of
tools (other industry relevant tools beyond those covered in the listed products /
course) available in the market.] services / tools
Data Visualization Tools: Landscape of Data Visualization tools
Desktop based tools
Online visualization tools
Visualization libraries
Open source vs Proprietary tools
M2: Data Visualization with Tableau
Contact Session 6-8
Type Description/Plan Reference
CS6 Creating Visual Analytics with Tableau Desktop [Link]
Connecting to Your Data current/pro/desktop/en-
us/whatsnew_desktop.htm
CS7 Building Your Visualizations
Creating Calculations to Enhance Your Data
CS8 Using Maps to Improve Insight
Developing an Ad Hoc Analysis Environment
SELF STUDY
Explore the different types of visuals that can be plotted with Tableau interface
M3: Effective Dashboard Design
Contact Session 9-11
Type Description/Plan Reference
CS9 Dashboard-Introduction T3 Ch 1
Variations in Dashboard Uses and Data T3 Ch 2
Categorizing Dashboards T3 Ch 5
Typical Dashboard Data T3 Ch 3
Common Mistakes in Dashboard Design
CS10 Power of Visual Perception T3 Ch 4
Understanding the Limits of Short‐Term Memory T3 Ch 5
Visually Encoding Data for Rapid Perception T3 Ch 6
Applying the Principles of Visual Perception to T3 Ch 7
Dashboard Design
Characteristics of a Well‐Designed Dashboard
Effective Dashboard Display Media
Dashboards design for Usability
CS11 Building Your First Advanced Dashboard
Best Practices for Effective Dashboards [Link]
Create a Dashboard current/pro/desktop/en-us/
Size and Lay Out Your Dashboard [Link]
Build Accessible Dashboards [Link]
Tableau Stories current/pro/desktop/en-us/
The Story Workspace [Link]
Best Practices for Telling Great Stories
Create a Story
Example – A Story That Examines a Trend
M4: Data Visualization with Python – 1 (Matplotlib)
Contact Session 12-13
Type Description/Plan Reference
CS12 Merits of Matplotlib R1 Ch 1
Matplotlib visuals basics R1 Ch 2
Getting Started with Matplotlib R1 Ch 3
Decorate Graphs with Plot Styles and Types R1 Ch 4
Advanced Matplotlib
CS13 Matplotlib in the real word R1 Ch 9
Plotting data from a database
Plotting data from a CSV file
Plotting data from the Web
Plotting extrapolated data using curve fitting
Plotting geographical data
M5: Data Visualization with Python – 2 (Seaborn and Bokeh)
Contact Session 14-16
Type Description/Plan Reference
CS14 Seaborn package [Link]
Seaborn vs Matplotlib
Seaborn Vs MatplotLib [Link]
Seaborn Plotting Statistical Relationships community/tutorials/seaborn-python-
Seaborn Visualizing Continuity with Lines tutorial
Seaborn Plotting Categorical Data [Link]
Seaborn Plotting Univariate Distribution introduction-to-data-visualization-
Seaborn Plotting BiVariate Distributions with-python
Seaborn Plotting Linear Regression Models
CS15 Bokeh [Link]
CS16 Bokeh introduction user_guide.html#userguide
Bokeh Building Blocks
Bokeh Glyphs
Bokeh Simple Plots
Bokeh Plotting with Different Data Structures
Bokeh Decorating the Visuals
Bokeh Interactive Server Side Applications
Detailed Plan for Lab work
Lab Lab Objective Lab Sheet Access URL Content
No Reference
LE 1 Getting Started with [Link] Module #2
Tableau
LE 2 Visual Analysis with [Link] Module #2
Tableau
LE 3 Advanced Visual Analytics [Link] Module #2
with Tableau
LE 4 Dashboards and [Link] Module #3
Storytelling with Tableau
LE 5 Getting started with Python [Link] Module #4
LE 6 Plotting Visuals with [Link] Module #4
Matplotlib.
Detailed Plan for Case studies
Case study No Case study Objective Case study Sheet
Access URL
1 Importance of visualization in data analysis Insert Link here
Evaluation Scheme:
Legend: EC = Evaluation Component; AN = After Noon Session; FN = Fore Noon Session
No Name Type Duratio Weight Day, Date, Session, Time
n
EC-1 Quiz Online - 5%
EC-1 Assignment Online - 25%
EC-2 Mid-Semester Test Closed 1.5 30%
Book hours
EC-3 Comprehensive Open 2.5 40%
Exam Book hours
Note: Assignment can be replaced by QUIZ also.
Syllabus for Mid-Semester Test (Closed Book): Topics in Session Nos. 1 to 8
Syllabus for Comprehensive Exam (Open Book): All topics (Session Nos. 1 to 16)
Important links and information:
CANVAS: [Link]
Students are expected to visit the CANVAS course page on a regular basis and stay up to date
with the latest announcements and deadlines.
Contact sessions: Students should attend the online lectures as per the schedule provided on
CANVAS.
Evaluation Guidelines:
1. EC1 consists of two assignments(Quiz/Assignment). Announcements will be made on
the portal, in a timely manner.
2. For Closed Book tests: No books or reference material of any kind will be permitted.
3. For Open Book exams: Use of books and any printed / written reference material
(filed or bound) is permitted. However, loose sheets of paper will not be allowed. Use
of calculators is permitted in all exams. Laptops/Mobiles of any kind are not allowed.
Exchange of any material is not allowed.
4. If a student is unable to appear for the Regular Test/Exam due to genuine exigencies,
the student should follow the procedure to apply for the Make-Up Test/Exam which
will be made available in CANVAS. The Make-Up Test/Exam will be conducted only
at selected exam centres on the dates to be announced later.
It shall be the responsibility of the individual student to be regular in maintaining the self
study schedule as given in the course handout, attend the online lectures, and take all the
prescribed evaluation components such as Assignment/Quiz, Mid-Semester Test and
Comprehensive Exam according to the evaluation scheme provided in the handout.